Flash hider for automatic weapons



June 29, 1943. A. M. JACKSON FLASHrHIDER FOR AUTOMATIC WEAPONS Filed April 27, 1940 /N VE N TOR fiber" M Jackson Patented June 29, I i-L' oil 3, as ltiiii; G. l5?!) amended April This invention described herein may be menufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a flash-raider for use in gunnery, more particularly it is directed to a device of this character to protect the eyes of a. gunner from the flash incident to the firing of a gun and is especially adapted for use in conjunction with automatic weapons.-

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a fiash-hider, including a portion adapted to be applied to the head of a gunner and another portion adapted to be mounted on gun and which is of such construction and operation that it will not interfere with the ordinary aiining of the gun.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flash-hide! for automatic weapons, including: contact members mounted on a weapon and con nected to operate a shutter to closes sight pas sage during a predetermined period in the operation of the weapon and thus protecting the gunners eye from the efiect of a flash produced by the weapon and means for operating the shutter to open said sight passage.

The flash produced by th louming powder gases used in gunnery after the projectile has left the muzzle of a weapon is an undeslrahle feature thereof. The use of the so-called flash less powders has reduced this undesirable feature to a certain extent. Certain devices known as fiash-hiders placed on a gun have further minimized the effect of flash. The dash produced 'from a gun should be minimized not only for the purpose of concealment from an enemy but also in the case of a rapid-firing weapon, such as a machine gun or automatic cannon, the flash should be reduced or caused to disappear from the view of the gunner in certain cases. A notable instance of this rqulrement is where a gunner is firing against aircraft at night where only natural illumination is available. In such a case not only does the intermittent flashing of the weapon disclose its position but also it seriously hampers the gunners vision.

It is therefore the aim and purpose of this nvention to provide a device for use in gunnery which will eliminate the effect of the flash of a gun from view of a gunner, thereby preventing the flash from seriously hampering the gunners vision, the said invention being based on the phenomenon of apparent continuity of vision due to persistence of visual stimuli where vision is intermittently lnternipted.

With the shove and other objects and advantages in View, the invention consists of certain features of construction and operation of parts which will hereinafter appear, and in which Fig. l is a front elevation of the component parts of the invention, including a portion adapted to he ayiplied to the head oi a gunner and another portion attached to a gun shown in section with the greater portion of the gun broken away;

Fig.2 is a fragmentary side elevation partlyv in section thereof; and

ii is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an eye-slot adjusting mernher used in carry ng out the invention, taken on the line of Fig. i.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizin the invention, l indicates an eyepiece which may he in the form of a shield, mask or goggles, having a strap 2 provided thereon for engagernent with the head 3 ol a gunner, indicated by the fragmentary dotted outline in Fig. 2. The eyepiece is provided with side portions i and with a lid on the front thereof which may he movably mounted thereon by the hinges whereby the lid may be lifted or swung upwardly by means of the member "l suitably secured to the lower surface of'the lid, time peromitting; the unhindered vision by the gunner when the device is not in use. The hinged lid 5 is provided with two elongated slots or aper tures d which are partially closed by means of slides "I? having eye apertures ill provided therein of siuidcient diameter and spaced at such distunes on the front of the eyepiece i 'from the ocular pupils ii of the gunner as to produce sufficient angular vision. The slides shown in section in Fig. 3 permit the apertures therein to be adjusted along the eye slots 3 on the lid is, so as toaccommodate the interrsuplllary distance of the individual gunner.

The eye apertures it on the slides s are adapted to he opened or closed simultaneously by means of a screen or shutter it "which is plvotally mounted on the front of the lid ii and at the center thereof by means oi a pivot pin Elli, having a lrerf 9 3 provided in its head for engagement with a screw driver. Spacing means in the form of a washer it is mounted on the pin iii in hack of the shutter it for holding the shutter beyond the slides ii on the eye slots 8.

The ends of the shutter it extend outwardly from the pivot pin I3 a sufiicient distance to cover the apertures Iii in the slides 9 and are adapted to control the opening or closing of the eye apertures simultaneously'from opposite directions. In order that the shutter l2 will not be operated more than necessary to Open or close the eye apertures l0, stop members l6 and I! are mounted on the lid which are adapted to be engaged by the lower and upper edge, respectively, of the shutter at one end I8 thereof. A spring member i 9, which is secured at 20 to the lid 9 and to a projection 2! on the shutter I2, is provided for moving the shutter to an inoperative position to open the apertures I0, as indicated in Fig. l.

The shutter I2 is actuated into a position to close the eye apertures IO whereby the vision of' a gunner is obscured during the flashing of a gun by means of two electrO-magnets 22 and 23, which are secured to the lid diagonally thereon by means of the bolts 29 or the like. The electro-magnet 22 on the upper right-hand cor ner of the lid 5 is arranged in such a manner thereon as to attract a metal projection 29, which extends in a forward direction from the upper edge of the end iii of the shutter and the electro-magnet 23 on the lower left-hand corner of the lid 5 is arranged thereon in such a manner as to attract a metal projection 26, which extends in a forward direction from the lower edge of the end 2'! of the shutter I2;

The electro-magnet 22 is connected at one end by a conductor 23 to a source of electrical supply such as a battery 29, which may be of the type used in a small flashlight and adapted to be carried around in the pocket or other convenient place. The other side of the battery 29 is connected by means of a conductor 30 to an electrical contact 3|, which is slidably mounted in a slide 32, mounted on any suitable fixed portion 33 of the gun, indicated generally by A. The electrical contact 3| is adapted to be held in an adjusted position in the slide 32 by means of the adjustable bolt 34, which is adapted to move in a longitudinally extending slot 35 formed in one side of the slide 32. The other end of the electro-magnet 22 is connected by a conductor 36 to one end of the electro-magnet 23, which is in turn connected at its other end by a conductor 31 to an electrical wiper contact 38 in the form of a toggle which is pivotally mounted on a part 39 of the gun A. The art 39 of the gun A should be a portion of the gun such as a bolt carrier which is iven a reciprocating motion by the energy of recoil of the gun and the electrical contact 38 should be arranged on the part 39 in such a. manner as to make contact with the electrical conta t 3| only on the rearward stroke of the bolt 49 of the gun. The electrical contact 38 is rov d with an elon ated end ll having a contact side M and a side 42, which is suitably insulated for a purpose which will hereinafter a ear.

In order that the electrical contact 33 ma be sufficiently held in engagement with the electrical contact 3i when in contact therewith a compression spring 43 is provided, having one end secured to the electrical contact 38 and secured at its other end to a bolt and nut construction 44, which isadapted to be adjustably mounted in a slot 45 in the part 39 of the gun. The part 46 may be mounted on the gun to act as a receiver.

In the operation of the device, assuming that the eyepiece I has been placed on the head 3 of a gunner with the strap 2 holding it in place theretro-magnets 22 and 23,

on, and that the gun A has been fired causing the reciprocating part 39 and bolt 40 to have moved in a forward direction, as indicated by the lower arrow in Fig. 2, with the electrical wiper contact 38 out of contact with the electrical contact 3i and with the shutter l2 in its normal inoperative position as indicated in Fig. 1, upon the rearward stroke of the bolt 40 the energy of recoil of the gun reciprocates the part 39 in a rearward direction as indicated by the upper arrow carrying the electrical contact 38 therewith, thus causing the-contact side 4| thereof to make contact with the electrical contact 3|, completing the circuit from the battery 29 through the electhus energizing the electic-magnets which attract the metal projections 25 and 26, respectively, on the upper and lower edge of the shutter l2, whereby the ends I 8 and 21 of the shutter are pulled in opposite directions against the action of the spring member I9, thus simultaneously closing the eye apertures l9 during the flash produced by the burning powder gases used in firing a projectile from the gun and obscuring the flash from the gunner's vision. The shutter i 2 is held in an operative position for holding the eye apertures I 9 closed for a predetermined period, depending on the length of the electrical contact 3|. The adjustable spring :13 on the wiper contact 38 and the adjustable bolt 34 on the slide 32 of the contact 3| may be regulated to adjust the position of the electrical contacts 3| and 38, so as to cause the contacts to be engaged for completing the circuit through the electro-magnets 22 and 23 for closing the shutter I2 at any desired instant during the cycle of firing the gun A, and for a given duration. After the wiper contact 38 has traversed the length of the electrical contact 3|, the outer end thereof is pushed rearwardly under the action of the compression spring 43, thereby breaking the circuit from the battery 29 through the electromagnets 22 and 23 to release the metal projections 25 and 26 on the shutter l2, and thus permitting the shutter to be returned by the action of its spring I9 to its inoperative position to open the eye apertures l0 and permitting vision by the gunner within the limits of the field during the remainder of the cycle of operation of the gun. As the gun is again fired and the bolt 40 and the part 39 thereof are caused to be moved forward in the direction of the lower arrow, the insulated side 42 of the wiper contact 38 engages with the upper surface of the electrical contact 3|, thus holding the circuit open during the forward stroke of the bolt and part 39.

The device being adapted primarily for automatic weapons of rapid fire, the shutter I2 will be operated to open and close the eye apertures I0 at such a rate of speed that the gunner will appear to have a continual vision due to the persistence of visual stimuli.

It will thus be seen that there is herein provided a novel flash-hider which is well adapted for all the purposes indicated. Even though there has been herein shown certain features of construction and operation of parts, it is nevertheless to be understood that various changes may be made therein, if the changes do not depart from the claims. 1

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, com prising in combination, an eyepiece adapted to engage the face of a gunner, said eyepiece con;-

taining apertures, a shutter operatively mounted on said eyepiece and adapted to be actuated to cover and uncover said apertures, a gun, electrical shutter operating means connecting said gun with the shutter, said operating means including contact members carried by and adapted to be actuated into and out of contact with each other by said gun for operating said shutter operating means, said shutter operating means upon the operation of said gun adapted to automatically and intermittently operate said shutter at a speed that a user of said eyepiece will appear to have a continual vision through said apertures due to persistence of visual stimuli whereby the eyes of the gunner are protected from the flash incident to the firing of the gun.

2. In a device of the character described, comprising in combination, an eyepiece adapted to engage the face of a gunner, said eyepiece containing apertures, a shutter mounted on said eyepiece and adapted to be actuated to cover and uncover said apertures, a gun including a stationary part and a movable part, electrical shutter operating means connecting said gun with the shutter and adapted to actuate said shutter for covering and uncovering said apertures, said operating means including contact members, one of said contact members mounted on the stationary part of the gun and another of said contact members mounted on the movable part thereof, and adapted to be automatically and intermittently operated into contacting engagement with each other upon the operation of said gun for actuating said shutter operating means, said shutter operating means upon the operation of said gun adapted to automatically and intermittently operate said shutter at a speed that a user of said eyepiece will appear to have a continual vision through said apertures due to persistence of visual stimuli whereby the eyes of the gunner are protected from the flash incident to the firing of the gun.

3. In a device of the character described, comprising in combination, an eyepiece provided with slotsand adapted to engage the face of a gunner, members having apertures therein adjustably mounted on said eyepiece adjacent to said slots I01 accommodating the interpupillary distance of an individual user of said eyepiece, a shutter mounted on said eyepiece and adapted to be operated to cover and uncover said apertures, a gun, electrical shutter operating means connecting said gun with the shutter and including an electric circuit, said shutter operating means upon the operation of the gun adapted to automatically and intermittently operate said shutter for covering and uncovering said apertures at a speed that a user of said eyepiecewill appearto have a continual vision through said slots and apertures due 'to persistence of visual stimuli whereby the-eyes of the gunner are protected from the flash incident to the firing of the gun.

4. In a device of the character described, comprising in combination, an eyepiece provided with slots and adapted to engage the face of a gunner, members having apertures therein adjustably mounted on said eyepiece adjacent to said slots for accommodating the interpupillary distance of an individual user of said eyepiece, a shutter mounted on said eyepiece and adapted to be operated to cover and uncover said slots and apertures, a gun including a stationary part and a movable part, electrical shutter actuating means connecting said gun with said shutter and including an electric circuit having electromagnets, contact members and a source of potential connected therein, said electromagnets mounted on said eyepiece, one of said contact members mounted on the stationary part of said gun and another of said contact members mounted on the movable part thereof, said movable part of the gun reciprocated by the energy of recoil for moving the contact member on the movable part of the gun into wiping engagement with the contact member on the stationary part of the gun, said shutter actuating means adapted upon the operation of said gun to automatically and intermittently actuate said shutter at a speed that the user of said eyepiece will appear to have a continual' vision through said slots and apertures due to persistence of visual stimuli, whereby the eyes of the gunner are protected from the flash incident to the firing of the gun.

5. In a device of the character described, comprising in combination, an eyepiece provided with apertures and adapted to engage the face 01' a gunner, a shutter mounted on said eyepiece and adapted to be operated to cover and uncover said apertures, a gun including a stationary part and r a movable part, electrical shutter operating means connecting the gun with the shutter and including a contact member adjustably mounted on the stationary part of the gun and a contact member mounted on the movable part thereof, said last mentioned contact member adapted to be inter- -mittently moved into contact with and out of contact from the contact member on the stationary part of the gun, a spring adapted to normally hold said shutter in an inoperative position, said electrical circuit means upon the operation of said gun adapted to automatically and intermittently operate said shutter at a speed that a user of said eyepiece will appear to have a continual vision through said apertures due to persistence of visual stimuli, whereby the eyes of the gimner are protected from the flash incident to the firing of the gun.

' ALBERT M. JACKSON. 

